Lizzie

We have had the most romantic and adventurous four days in Mexico. The city itself was bustling and throngs of tourists were milling around, I was glad by the end of the day when we finally got back to our cabana and had hot sex out on the deck. I am hoping his detail had the courtesy to not be watching. Brandon didn't seem put off at all, as he gave me orgasm after orgasm.

We've just arrived back home, and I am not going to lie, I am tired. We've been up most nights watching movies, having hot sex, eating late night snacks, laying in bed being lazy until nine, reading, talking, and hanging out.

My folks have got our trip to Texas booked and I am most definitely not looking forward to going now. I've gotten so close to Brandon that just the thought of being separated from him is giving me anxiety. I actually feel sick in my stomach, hugely sick like I'm going to vomit, and my stomach is literally in knots. I'm betting he is feeling the same way.

When his driver dropped us off and I got out of the car, Brandon actually looked pained. "I'll see you this evening, baby. I'll come over after nine."

I kissed him but only fleetingly because neither one of us have told our parents yet that we're seeing each other. Although, I am guessing they probably already know. In their eyes it was probably only a matter of time.

"Hey, honey. Did you have an amazing time?" Mom asks the moment I step inside the house and wraps her arms around me like I've been gone for months. How is she going to be when I start college in a few weeks' time and not be home for the first semester?

"It was wonderful, Mom. The sea was so blue and the sand so white. Their cabana is something else, right?"

"Gosh, yes. I keep telling your dad that he ought to buy us one close to them. We've not been for a while. Maybe I can convince your dad to take some time off work and we could head over for a break with Brandon's folks."

I smile and slip my Vans off. Mom cocks her head to one side. "You look different." Shit, she knows, do mom's have that kind of insight where they know exactly what you've got up to while you've been away? I can feel myself blushing.

"Do I? Must be the relaxation after all those hard months of school and being so exhausted. We had so much time to chill out, read, go for walks along the beach and you know, just hanging out."

"Mm, maybe." Alright, so my mother doesn't look convinced. Should I tell her? Only, she'll know straight away that Brandon and I literally fucked our ways through four days and nights.

"What's cooking? Something smells delicious." I try to distract her, but it does smell good, and I am kinda hungry. After our marathon sex morning where Brandon did fuck me in the shower after he'd already taken me in the early hours of the morning, his detail knocked to let us know they were ready for us to leave.

Needless to say, we didn't have time for anything to eat and then on the jet, we were too busy making out in the bedroom onboard. Our minds not on food. So yeah, right now I am pretty damn hungry.

"I made one of your favorite dishes, meatballs and spaghetti." Mm.

"Homemade meatballs?" Only, personally I hate those manufactured ones that come in a can. Yuck.

"Of course, homemade. Eliza has the day off today, so I thought I'd cook."

"Great, I am hungry. Is dad in later or working?" I'm dying to see my dad, we're so close and yes, he does treat me like his little princess. I'm just happy that I've got pretty awesome folks who treat me well and show me how much they love me.

"He's working late tonight but he can help himself when he gets in. Sorry darling, he wants to get on top of things before we go to Texas. Are you excited to go check out the house and meet some of your fellow students?" Er, what should I say because I'm not that excited, I'm filled with dread and remorse. Leaving Brandon right now is the worst thing that I can think of. My heart is aching, and it feels as if it is slipping out to the floor.

"Sure. Of course. But you know, Mom I kind of wish I was staying here now and transferring to Cali." Her face is in total shock, and my words just slipped out. Trust me, I never had any intention of saying anything.

"Oh, Honey. Really? I thought you were looking forward to going. Is this something to do with Brandon?"

I shrug my shoulders and make my way into the kitchen, all of a sudden as large as our circular entrance space is and spacious, it suddenly feels like I'm in a confined area.

Taking a seat on one of the stools at the island, I twiddle my fingers, a sure-fire way for my mom to know I have something to tell her. She's doing her best to not be a mom right now and show concern as she busies herself with the kettle. "Tea?"

"Sure, thanks Mom. I'll have a mango one." Mom fills the kettle and takes a couple of tea bags from the jar near the kettle and places them in our respective mugs.

"Brandon and I, we're seeing each other."

"As in dating?"

"Yep, pretty much. Since prom." Her mouth forms an O. "Turns out we've liked each other for years but were too scared to say anything."

"Okay but you know you've been friends since you were five, honey. So even if you're both decided you want to date that doesn't prevent you from going to Texas." She has a point, but she isn't eighteen with her heart on her sleeve going through what I'm going through.

"You weren't separated from dad, Mom at my age."

"This is true but we'd each decided to go to the same college way back when. I never wanted to go anywhere else. But you, Lizzie darling, you always wanted to go to Texas then on to Paris for fashion. Are you telling me because of Brandon you don't want to go? And what does he think about this? Have you spoken to him about it? Because I think you'd be making a huge mistake if you suddenly dropped all your dreams for a boy. Brandon or not Brandon." Riiight.

This is exactly why I wasn't going to tell her, me, and my big mouth. I should have just kept it shut and gone to Texas then made the decision to swap out.

Fuck's sake, why does everything have to be this complicated?

Mom places the tea in front of me and sits down on the stool opposite and reaches for my right hand and holds it in hers.

"Honey, if you both love each other then you have nothing to worry about. Trust me, a love that is strong and built on friendship that has been everlasting isn't going to crumble just because you are in different States."

"I suppose but I don't want to leave him, Mom. It hurts already and I haven't even gone anywhere." I can feel the tears pricking at the back of my eyes. Drat.

"I can see that; Honey and I really understand. You know even if you were staying in Cali that Brandon will be traveling a lot with his college football career, right? And when he isn't traveling, he is going to be studying."

"Yeah, but we could be studying together."

"You'd be distracting and neither one of you wants to flunk. Lizzie, trust me you and Brandon will make it through. Nobody is saying it will be easy or that it isn't going to hurt but you will get used to dealing with it. You can travel back home as often as you like, you have the luxury of using the jet and coming back every weekend if you wanted to but know that Brandon is not always going to be around. He has to focus on NFL. That's his dream." Moms are so wise, but it doesn't change how I feel, and I know she is absolutely right but it still fucking hurts to know that in just five weeks, I'll be in Texas, and he'll be here in Cali and on top of that traveling for his football.

Although, it does make me feel a bit brighter to think that I could still go and meet him at his games, so long as I keep my grades up, we could possibly make this work. It's not totally unachievable. Will I ever get used to this feeling of having my heart ripped out though?